Chapter 4: All the Lights and Sounds (Part 1)
"What do you think about this one, Fox?" Fox looked up suddenly, hardly realizing that he and his vixen counterpart had walked into a clothing store some 15 minutes ago. Fox had been locked on thoughts of his father and mother whom he'd held so dear years before, but never again would he feel either of their comforting embraces again. The bereft fox's attention was then fully directed to the brilliantly colored calico skirt around Krystal's waist, coming down to her upper calves, a new bright color striping itself around the fabric every 3 inches or so. Fox was bamboozled.
How can anyone be that beautiful? It's uncanny…
Krystal's clean and white, but menacingly sharp teeth were shown in a wide smile.
"Well, Fox? What do you think?" Fox shot her a look as if to say, "Please, just shoot me dead now." Fox kind of chuckled in disbelief.
"That's incredible. I've never seen anything so…well…you know…" Krystal tried her best to avoid a giggle.
"You've never seen anything so what, Fox? Beautiful?" Fox nodded, trying to turn away from her, but Krystal persisted by swiftly side-stepping in front of him each time, trying her best to keep a straight face, but to no avail. After another few moments of playful banter, Fox stopped and whispered quietly,
"I think we'd better stop, that clerk over there is staring us down." And sure enough, a plump feline, middle-aged, stood at her checkout counter with a stern look upon her face, and a glint in her eye that gave Fox chills. Krystal nudged Fox in the arm, and started to walk back towards the ladies' dressing rooms. Fox took the hint and sat down on a nearby bench.
"I'll just wait here, Krystal." Fox sat with poor posture on the bench, one hand supporting his head. He sat in this same position for a minute or two, examining the cuticles on the short claws on the other hand, when a tall, gray figure caught his attention. On the other side of the store, there stood a wolf, a little older than he, it seemed, his scruffy face wanting one eye, the scar covered by a black eye patch. This very familiar looking wolf scanned the room meticulously, as if searching for something. When the lupine started making his way towards the side of the store that Fox occupied, Fox quickly swiped a magazine from the side of the bench, shoving his muzzle into it, pretending to be lost in its unknown articles.
That wolf looks so familiar. The eye patch, the gangly look about him, wait, no way! Could it be…?
The scruffy-looking wolf walked right past Fox, eyeballing him carefully, as if he had the same suspicions as Fox. Fox noticed this, and looked even harder into the unusually pink magazine he held firmly in front of his face. Once the wolf had moved past him, Fox took a look at the cover, and sighed.
Great. There's about 10 magazines in there, and of course I had to grab the latest issue of "Seventeen" magazine. That wolf probably thought me strange…
"Okay, Fox, I'm ready." Fox turned to his side to find Krystal back into her usual revealing loincloth and bra. Fox nodded and held his elbow out. Krystal took it, and together they headed out the door and onto the crowded, bustling streets of Corneria City. After a few minutes of slowly walking and dodging creatures left and right, Fox's appetite soon got the better of him, signaled by a low rumble emanating from the bowels of his stomach.
"Wow, you know Krystal, I haven't eaten in 2 days, I really need to get something to eat." Krystal looked shocked that Fox didn't bother to tell her this earlier.
"Fox, you should've told me, we could've eaten long ago. I am a little hungry myself, actually…" Fox nodded passively, intently staring at a particularly intriguing sign just off sidewalk a little ways. It read,
Le Humilier le Bistro de Couple
Today's Special:
Steamed Lobster with salad and caviar, sautéed in a light lemon de la crème oil.
"Hey, Krystal, let's eat here." Fox anxiously articulated. Krystal smiled happily, and laid her head against his chest.
"It doesn't matter where we eat, as long as I'm eating with you, Fox." Krystal's words cut through Fox like a hot knife through butter. There was nowhere the two would rather be at that moment than in each other's presence.
(Aboard the Great Fox)
The lazy early-afternoon light was beginning to bother Falco. He had really wanted to get out and enjoy the delights of Corneria, but he just couldn't. Falco, of all people, was hurting deeply on the inside.
There have been so many things that I've wanted to do, but without her with me, I just can't. Seeing Fox with that vixen just makes it worse. Fox may try to hide his feelings for her from me, but I'm no fool; I see the way he looks at her, that gleam in his eye. I once felt the same way about Katt. I can't get over the last thing she said to me before she left,
"Falco, I'm sorry, but I must leave you now, I can't stand to be away from him for much longer…goodbye, Falco."
My hopes and dreams were shattered that day. Maybe I'm just being immature, maybe I should get out and enjoy myself. Yeah, that's what I'll do. I think I'm gonna hit a bar, or something, get a quick drink, this is a special occasion…
And with that, the avian hopped up off the sofa on which he had once sulked, and marched down the gangway from which a light, cool breeze was ruffling a stack of papers sitting on an important looking console. The extreme amount of light on that particular day, took a minute to get used to for Falco, but he was soon headed off into the lights and sounds of Corneria City…
(Le Humilier le Bistro de Couple)
Fox let the magnificent aromas of the large lobster that he and Krystal were sharing envelop his 3rd sense. Fox raised the fork with a generous chunk of lobster to his mouth and slowly took a bite, savoring the texture and juiciness of the lightly buttered seafood delicacy. Krystal, who couldn't be happier at the time, showed one of her usual stunning smiles.
"It is delicious lobster, is it not?" Fox swallowed his large bite of food.
"It tastes like a plethora of happiness. Merely the fact that I'm sharing it with you makes it ten times better." Krystal set down her fork and took Fox's hand into her own.
"You just made my day, Fox." A certain happiness that had never been present in this fox before exploded with the force of a supernova. Dinner went on in much the same way, each being regaling the other with epic tales from their pasts. Together, the two walked out of this "humble" restaurant, and headed back towards the Great Fox, as the hour was getting late.
(Outside "Tandy's Tavern" Bar and Grill)
Falco stumbled to the ground, the taste of alcohol still fresh in his mouth.
Why did I drink so much? I told myself I was going to go out and have a nice night, but ended up getting hammered. But that band, the people, the atmosphere; it was all so exhilarating. I really should do this more often.
A yellow cab pulled up next to the curb, and a figure appeared out of it. Falco couldn't see who it was, for his vision was rapidly blurring.
"Falco Lombardi? Is it really you?" This voice sounded so familiar to Falco, but he just couldn't put his finger on it. His vision went black, and he fainted.
(Aboard the Great Fox)
Krystal ran into the bridge of Star Fox's flagship giggling forcefully at Fox, who was trying to get up behind her and tickle her sides.
"Well Fox, I see you and the newest member of your team are getting along fine." General Pepper's voice sounded a little annoyed. Fox immediately put his hands behind his back and smiled sheepishly.
"Anyways, I'm here to give you your pay, Fox." Fox gave a silent victory motion. General Pepper handed Fox a slip of paper with a very large number on it.
"There you are, Fox, 100,000,000 Lylatanian Tacterians." Fox happily took the slip of paper and held it in front of his face, nodding widely up and down to Krystal, a sly smile flaunting itself on his face.
"Well, I'm sure we're all weary, so I shall be returning to my office to clear a few things up. Good day to you, Fox. Ma'm." Fox took the slip of paper and inserted it into a slot on the main console of the bridge. That somewhat annoying female voice came over a speaker, and enunciated these words,
"Check accepted. Forwarded to the balance of Captain Fox McCloud, Lylat. Account balance is currently: 100,059,349 Lylatanian Tacterians." Fox terminated the information.
"Oh, I'll get some great sleep tonight, Krystal." Fox said smoothly as if not a thing in the world could destroy his mood. Krystal simply stared at this magnificent creature as he walked with his head high down the hall to his living quarters.
Suddenly, there was a somewhat obnoxious knocking at the main hatch. Krystal opened the hatch. There stood a tall female cat, young and beautiful, with a passed out avian dragging behind her. The cat held out her free hand in greeting.
"Hey, the name is Katt, nice to meet you." And with that, Katt walked off down the hall to Falco's room , Falco himself dragging behind on the floor. Krystal was about to say something, but decided against it, and walked towards Fox's room. Once there, she opened the door and found Fox soundly sleeping. Krystal, deciding that there was no harm in doing what was she about to, climbed into the bed where the vulpine lay slumbering and her herself drifted off into peaceful sleep……..
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Okay, I'm going to start off by saying this chapter will be exceptionally long, seeing as this is the first part of a five part chapter. Yes, you read me right, five parts. This is part one, trust me, you'll have the other parts before you know it.
Thank you dear readers for all you do,
Yutaka Minase